# FAST Pinched Neck Nerve Pain Relief [Three Must-Do Exercises!] Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR9p4UdPhGU Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/xR9p4UdPhGU Generated: 2025-11-10T22:07:29.942+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The video presents three exercises—Lateral Opening Stretch, Traction Stretch, and Median Nerve Glide—designed to provide fast relief for pinched neck nerve pain by alleviating pressure on the nerve and improving its mobility, recommending 20 seconds for 3 sets or 5-10 repetitions for the glides. **Key Points:** - The primary goal of the exercises is to relieve pain, numbness, or tingling that travels down the arm, shoulder, or shoulder blade by addressing irritation of a pinched nerve in the neck. - Exercise 1, the Lateral Opening Stretch, involves leaning away from the affected side while pulling the chin back, aiming to create space between vertebrae and stretch the upper trap. - Exercise 2, the Traction Stretch, involves using two fingers under the chin to pull the head straight back over the shoulders, creating traction force to open space between vertebrae. - Exercise 1 (Lateral Opening Stretch) should be held for 20 seconds for 3 sets, while Exercises 1 and 2 (Nerve Glides) should start with 5-10 repetitions. - Exercise 3, the Ulnar Nerve Glide, involves extending the arm out, bending the elbow with the palm up, and then tilting the head away from the arm to glide the ulnar nerve. - The principles of 'Goldilocks' loading are emphasized: providing enough, but not too much, stimulus to avoid increasing pain or irritation in the affected nerve area. - The Median Nerve Glide (Exercise 1) involves extending the arm out (45-90 degrees) while flexing the head away from the arm, then reversing the movements. ![Screenshot at 00:01: The physical therapist introduces the topic by highlighting the symptoms of radiating pain, numbness, and tingling down the arm, correlating them with a visual representation of nerve irritation originating from the neck.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-00-01.png) **Context:** Dr. Jared Beckstrand, DPT, explains three essential exercises designed to offer immediate relief for symptoms like pain, numbness, or tingling radiating down the arm, shoulder, or shoulder blade. These symptoms often result from nerve irritation caused by a pinched nerve in the neck due to factors like disc issues, decreased joint space, poor posture, or muscle inflammation. ## Detailed Analysis The video provides three specific exercises to relieve symptoms stemming from a pinched nerve in the neck that causes pain or paresthesia in the arm or shoulder. The initial segment explains that the issue is often nerve compression from a bulged disc, decreased joint space, poor posture, or muscle inflammation. The recommended approach follows the 'Goldilocks' principle: providing enough stimulus to be effective but not so much that it causes excessive pain or irritation. Exercise 1 is the Lateral Opening Stretch, performed while seated; the patient hooks their hand under the chair, leans away from the symptomatic side, tilts their head away from the shoulder, and pulls the chin back to stretch the upper trapezius area, holding for 20 seconds, 3 sets. Exercise 2 is the Traction Stretch, where the patient uses two fingers on the chin to pull the head straight back over the shoulders, creating traction to open space between the vertebrae, repeated for 5-10 reps, 3 sets. Exercise 3 targets the Ulnar Nerve Glide, involving extending the arm out, bending the elbow with the palm up, and tilting the head away from the arm, then reversing the movements (wrist extension/flexion combined with neck flexion/extension) to glide the nerve, repeated for 5-10 reps, 3 sets. The Median Nerve Glide (Exercise 1 variation) is also shown, where the arm is extended, palm up, and the head tilts away from the arm, followed by wrist extension and neck flexion away from the arm, then reversing the movements. ### Causes of Radiating Arm Symptoms - Pain, numbness, or tingling traveling down the arm/shoulder results from a pinched nerve in the neck, possibly caused by a bulged disc, decreased joint space, poor posture, or muscle inflammation (00:00-00:41). ### Exercise 1 - Lateral Opening Stretch (Stretch 1): Sit, hook the opposite hand under the chair, lean away from the affected side, pull the chin back, and tilt the head away from the shoulder to stretch the upper trap; hold 20 seconds, 3 sets (01:26-02:43). ### Exercise 2 - Traction Stretch: Perform a chin tuck, then use two fingers on the chin to pull the head straight back over the shoulders, creating space between vertebrae; hold 3-5 seconds, repeat 5-10 times (03:01-04:02). ### Exercise 3 - Ulnar Nerve Glide: Arm abducted, elbow bent, palm up, extend wrist while tilting the head away from the arm, then flex the wrist while tilting the head toward the arm; hold 3-5 seconds per position, 5-10 reps (07:41-08:47). ### Median Nerve Glide (Bonus Exercise) - Extend arm out (45-90 degrees), palm up, then tilt head away from the arm, followed by wrist extension and neck flexion away from the arm, then reverse (05:18-06:17). ### Repetition Guidelines - Start with 5-10 repetitions for the glides (Median and Ulnar Nerve) and 3 sets of 20-second holds for the Lateral Opening Stretch, progressing slowly (04:50-05:17, 08:46-08:51). ![Screenshot at 00:01: Introduction showing the symptoms \(Pain, Numbness, Tingling\) radiating down the arm from a nerve in the neck.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-00-01.png) ![Screenshot at 00:18: The physical therapist uses a spinal model to illustrate that multiple nerves exit the spinal cord in the neck, which can cause symptoms down the arm.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-00-18.png) ![Screenshot at 00:33: Diagram showing the causes of nerve irritation: Bulged Disc, Decreased Joint Space, Posture, and Muscle Inflammation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-00-33.png) ![Screenshot at 01:07: Visual summary of the three main exercises \(1, 2, 3\) plus two bonus exercises for neck opening.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-01-07.png) ![Screenshot at 01:27: Demonstration of Stretch 1: Lateral Opening Stretch, involving lateral neck tilt and using the chair for stabilization/leverage.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-01-27.png) ![Screenshot at 03:20: Demonstration of Stretch 2: Traction Stretch, using fingers on the chin to create a straight backward retraction motion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-03-20.png) ![Screenshot at 04:46: The 'Goldilocks' principle graphic illustrating that the stimulus must be 'just right'—not too little, not too much—to be effective.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-04-46.png) ![Screenshot at 06:57: Demonstration of Exercise 2: Radial Nerve Glide, showing the arm extended out with the wrist flexed down.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-06-57.png) ![Screenshot at 07:56: Demonstration of Exercise 3: Ulnar Nerve Glide, showing the arm abducted overhead with the elbow bent and wrist extended/flexed in coordination with neck tilt.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-07-56.png) ![Screenshot at 08:46: Summary graphic displaying the recommended 5-10 reps for the nerve glides.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xR9p4UdPhGU/00-08-46.png)